


This is what "fall in love" is

by marvelousmsmol



Series: The Marichat Diaries [4]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Reveal Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:36:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29543871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvelousmsmol/pseuds/marvelousmsmol
Summary: Chat Noir could hardly say no when Marinette had asked him to be friends, but the real problem came when he wanted to be more than that.Marichat Diaries Origins
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: The Marichat Diaries [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2126928
Comments: 1
Kudos: 52





	This is what "fall in love" is

When did the balcony start looking like a tower? 

It must have been really high up in the sky because Chat Noir felt as though he was losing oxygen every time he tried to climb up there. 

If he started from the street level, it was like he was climbing a mountain. If he tried to jump from the rooftop across, it was like he was crossing an ocean. 

The distance between them had become insurmountable. 

Ivy that had begun to grow up the side of the building looked too much like vines. It reminded him too much of when Marinette truly had been a princess taken away, high up above the rest of the world. Chat didn’t appreciate the way his brain was making that connection. Her being in danger, and it being his fault was something he would rather not remember in vivid detail every time he came to visit Marinette. 

But still, Chat made it to her. Spending time with Marinette had become the highlight of his day, and even if he had to climb a mountain or cross an ocean just to make it there he would. 

_ Let’s be friends, Chat Noir. _

Marinette had looked so lonely when she said it. Even if he had wanted to say no, which he didn’t, greater forces than that which controlled all rational thought in his head would prevent him from doing so at all costs. No amount of rational thought could be mustered up when it came to her. Anything that had to do with Marinette would be decided by his heart, and his heart alone. 

She was his friend. They were friends. 

It was very easy to love a friend. 

Maybe that was why he was sitting on the floor of Marinette’s bedroom now, letting her paint the claws of his suit a bright pink color while bubblegum pop blasted in the background. 

“It stands out from the suit a lot,” Chat said, examining his right hand, which was already done and drying. 

“Do you hate it?” Marinette asked, not even looking up from her work as she meticulously painted his left hand. She was biting her bottom lip as she went about the task, brows furrowed in concentration. 

“Absolutely not,” Chat said. “It’s perfect… But I get to do yours when it’s finished.”

“Absolutely not,” Marinette said, mocking his tone. “Last time you wasted an entire bottle of nail polish and I spent weeks trying to get the stain out of the floor.”   


“I offered to buy you some more,” Chat argued. He was about to cross his arms over his chest, but Marinette swatted his hands before he could smudge the pink on the black leather, pulling his fingertips back within her reach to continue. 

“I said it was fine.”

“You still seem exasperated with me, though,” Chat said. 

“I’m-”

“You’re always exasperated with me.” 

Chat certainly hadn’t meant to say those words so seriously. He had meant them to sound like a joke, but Marinette was looking at him with concern now. Chat feared she might think he had actually meant it, but the serious expression broke on her face before he could even begin to take it back. 

The corners of her lips turned up into a smile and Marinette reached out, scratching Chat behind the cat ears on his head. “Only to joke.” 

As the giggling went on, and the smiling continued, Chat could feel all sound in the room becoming more and more faded. The warm light made things seem more blurry. Chat wondered whether it was because his eyes were just going out of focus, or he was tearing up. He hoped it wasn’t the latter, not ready for the embarrassment of random crying in front of Marinette. 

He was still stuck in some other reality when Marinette took his hand again, finishing up the last coat of nail polish on his claws. 

The distance was noticeable even now. Marinette was sitting right in front of him, holding onto him, but she felt farther away now than when he was standing on the opposite roof across the street. Why was there still an ocean between them? His own head making him feel so far apart from her was cruel. 

Marinette put the brush back into the bottle and twisted the cap, setting the nail polish aside as she stood up to her feet. Walking over the desk, Marinette turned the music down so it wouldn’t blast in her ear, standing over a few open sketchbooks and her tablet. Her back was facing him and her weight was shifting from foot to foot as she examined her work. 

A sigh escaped her and Marinette knocked one of the sketchbooks to the side, causing a drawing pen to roll off the table. Chat leaped to his feet, careful not to smudge his nails, picking up the pen and placing it back next to where her hand was resting. He shouldn’t have done anything besides that, standing next to her was fine, but Chat couldn’t help it as he leaned his chin on her shoulder.

“I think I’m going to have to kick you out now,” Marinette said. 

“Why is that?” Chat asked, leaning more of his weight on her. 

“You’re distracting me,” Marinette said, pushing back against him to try and get him to stand up straight again. 

They were both snickering as they grappled with each other. Chat resorted to wrapping his arms around her waist tightly and Marinette tried to pull them off her, but Chat held fast, even lifting her off the ground to give him even more of an advantage. 

“I can be much more distracting, see?” Chat asked, spinning her around.

“I swear, if you got nail polish on my clothes-” Marinette shouted. “Chat, I’m warning you!”

“What?” he asked. “Are you going to get the spray bottle?”  
“Don’t think I wouldn’t,” Marinette said, looking back at him with a glare. He could see how much she was blushing now. Her cheeks seemed to almost be glowing pink with the combination of the soft lighting in her room. As she smiled and laughed, the wrinkles around her eyes showed her joy was genuine, and Chat didn’t feel so bad about keeping her in his arms. 

It took him a moment to realize that he could feel the heat rising in his own face. Chat set her back down on her feet but didn’t release her from his arms, not wanting Marinette to turn around and see that he was blushing just as much as she was. “Do you really need me to go?” Chat asked. “I will if you ask again.” 

“I don’t want you to go,” Marinette said. She sounded smaller than usual, more closed off, as though showing any emotion through her tone would result in the worst kind of torment. Marinette sighed letting her head hang as her hands dropped from where they were holding tightly to his arms around her waist. “But I have things to do tonight.” 

Chat’s eyes drifted towards the window, looking at the setting sun on the horizon. “I should probably wait until it’s dark enough that no one sees me leave.” 

“You came here in broad daylight,” Marinette countered.

“Yes, but I waited twenty minutes to make sure no one was around to see me,” Chat said. 

Marinette shook her head, finally pushing herself out of Chat’s arms. She walked over to one of the desk drawers and pulled out some of her sewing supplies. “I wish we could stop having to be so nervous about you coming and going.” 

“I don’t think there’s any use in wishing that,” Chat said. He plopped down onto the chaise lounge, staring up at the ceiling.

“I know, we’ve had the discussion.” Marinette nodded. “Multiple times.” 

Chat rolled over onto his side, propping his head up with his elbow. “You seem upset about it.”

“I’m not upset.” 

Marinette’s tone sounded so even, and Chat couldn’t see the expression on her face with her back to him to tell whether she was lying or not. 

Chat could remember every time they had talked out it before. His conditions for their friendship were the total secrecy of the relationship. He had explained himself clearly that he didn’t want a repeat of her father being akumatized or anyone else facing the same problem if they knew that Marinette, the civilian, was close to Chat Noir, the superhero. 

Marinette accused him of having read too many comic books, but Chat preferred to take literature, all kinds, as a lesson rather than deal with something unexpected down the line. He didn’t want her to have to repeat any of her arguments either. Marinette was strong, capable of taking care of herself, but her words only made Chat feel as though she didn’t know how important she was to him. Telling him to choose anyone else over her if it came down to it wasn’t something he was willing to do or listen to anymore. 

If they wanted to remain friends like this, she had to accept his conditions. 

Chat picked up one of the pillows from the chaise, throwing it and hitting her squarely between her shoulder blades. Marinette whirled around almost instantly, a glare on her face. “This is what I call being a distraction.”

“Why do you people to know we’re friends so badly?” Chat asked with a hum. “Do you want them to be jealous of you or something?”

“No,” Marinette said, picking the pillow up off the ground and throwing it back to him. “It’s just… sneaking around feels wrong.” 

Chat’s brows furrowed beneath his mask. Marinette seemed about to continue, and he waited for her to keep speaking, hoping she would elaborate and allow him a little more understanding. 

“I feel like- I-” Marinette threw her head back looking up at the ceiling. She rolled it down to the side, looking eyes with Chat as he waited for her next words attentively. “If we keep sneaking around like this and you get caught coming out of my room, friendship is not going to be the first conclusion that people come to.” 

“Well, you may be right,” Chat answered. A smirk appeared on his face. “But what’s so wrong about that?”

Marinette looked at him waggling his eyebrows. She practically snorted, covering her mouth with her hands to try and stifle the laughter. “Try the fact that we aren’t together.” 

_ That’s what’s so wrong about it,  _ Chat thought. He tried not to frown, tried not to think about what it would be like to be more than just friends with Marinette.

“It would be an absolute travesty if people found out that Chat Noir was dating some random Parisian girl rather than Ladybug,” she continued. “And I would be the enemy of everyone...” 

There still seemed to be more that Marinette wanted to say. She bit her bottom lip, avoiding eye contact with him. “I’m still sorry about Ladybug rejecting you. I know- I know how much it- How much you liked her.” 

“Why are you apologizing it’s not like any of it is your fault?” Chat asked. He sat up on the chaise, resting his elbows on his knees. Marinettes’ gaze shifted to him and they stared at each other for a few moments. Chat couldn’t deny the guilty look in her eye. He shook his head looking away and trying to forget before he got too caught up in trying to figure it out. “Anyway, I won’t be asking Ladybug about her feelings for me anymore. Partners are good enough for her, and, besides, I have a best friend, which is more than enough for me.”

Marinette had looked away from him too, but Chat made sure to have a smile on his face by the time she looked at him again. She slowly smiled as well, seeming almost shy. “I’m your best friend?”

“But of course,” Chat said, standing up and making his way toward her. “My one and only.” 

He couldn’t be sure what had possessed, but Chat was pressing a kiss to Marinette’s cheek in the next second and making the both of them completely freeze up from the shock. 

Forcing himself to pull away, Chat turned toward the trap door that led to her balcony, craning his neck slightly to still look back at her. “I’ll get out of your hair. It should be safe now.” 

Chat was out the door and across the street to the opposite rooftop before Marinette could even say another word. The image of her was burned into his brain. He could still see her parted lips and rosy cheeks, eyes stuck wide open. Speechless. She had been speechless. That was the sign that he had definitely messed up. 

With an ocean between them again, Chat dropped to his knees, eyes downcast locked on the rooftop under his feet. She couldn’t see him. Chat couldn’t let her see him like this. The slow and steady increase of his feelings towards her were becoming difficult to deny, and no matter how many times he called her his friend, or his best friend, didn’t change the fact that Marinette had somehow managed to replace Ladybug. 

God, he hated to think that. He hated to think of her as a replacement. Marinette would hate the idea, too, and he wondered if somehow it would make things easier if he had never loved Ladybug first. Breaking the news to her would be hell, but he couldn’t hide it forever. The truth would spill out of him eventually. 

The best thing he could do would leave all his feelings there for now. Perhaps separating Marinette from the rest of his thoughts, keeping her relegated to a tower far away from the rest of his mind, would make them dissipate after some time. 

It didn’t change the fact, though, that he would be seeing her at school tomorrow. 


End file.
